The Children in Sons and Lovers and What Maisie Knew :: Lawrence Sons and Lovers Essays

The Children in Sons and Lovers and What Maisie Knew      Ã‚  Ã‚   The characters in Sons and Lovers by D. H. Lawrence and the characters in What Maisie Knew each have a special meaning.   They all seem to be interwoven with one another portraying a new cycle in another characters life.   For instance, in What Maisie Knew Mrs. Wix was introduced, in my opinion, at a time when Maisie needed a mother figure. Also, Sir Claude is introduced when she seems to need a father figure.   On the other hand, in Sons and Lovers there are not very many new characters introduced. However, the ones that are introduced seem to want to try and break the bond that Paul and his mother have.  Ã‚   Thus, James and Lawrence seem to be using similar themes with different surroundings and events.   Although the circumstances are different, Henry James and D. H. Lawrence characterize the children as being Impoverished.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Henry James in his novel What Maisie Knew, portrays the main character, Maisie, as being impoverished emotionally.   The emotional poverty that Maisie experiences in her life exist because of her parents extremely vicious hatred for each other.   They use Maisie as a "vessel for bitterness" (13). To Beale and Ida, Maisie was just a tool that they used to hurt the other person.   Eventually, Maisie figured out that they were using her to be the bearer of brutily hateful messages.   Consequently, she learned not to deliver such messages.   This made her parents very angry and they decided that she had "grown incredably dull".   Thus, Maisie realized " They had wanted her not for any good they could do her, but for harm they could, with her unconscious aid, do each other." Unfortunately, Maisie's emotions were of no concern to either parent.   As a result, Maisie seldom experienced any meaningful affection from either of her parents. Furthermore, on the rare occasions when Maisie's mother embraced her it was performed without any affection, or it is so convulsive that it makes her feel as though "she had suddenly been thrust, with a smash of glass, into a jeweller's shop-front..." (112 Lawrence).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Likewise, Maisie's father subjects her to emotional neglect by reminding her that everything had " changed on her account, everything ordered to enable him to give himself up